A Date Decades in the Making
by PhantomPhan24601
Summary: Judy Roland is your run-of-the-mill history teacher going through her normal daily routine when she is rescued by Captain America. Will their mutual attraction blossom into an sustainable relationship? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

The fuzzy sound of World War II era music floated through my apartment as I readied myself for my morning run. I tugged on my tennis shoes and tightened my long brown ponytail before pulling on a light jacket. I had checked the weather earlier and it was supposed to be quite chilly this morning. Spring was deceptive like that, even in New York. You could freeze your ears off in the morning and still be sweating by the afternoon. I briefly went through a mental checklist that was interrupted by the sight of my tiny dog carrying my new pair of socks off into my room.

"Biscuit! No! Come back here!" I called. Her ears pricked up, indicating that she had heard me, but she proceeded into my room. A clink of her collar let me know she had jumped onto my bed. "Of course," I muttered as I went after her. Fifteen minutes later, I gave up playing tug of war with Biscuit. If she wanted my cheap sock so bad, she could have them. I had stuff I needed to accomplish today. I left the apartment, jogging down the stairs instead of catching a lift in the levator and out the doors of the main lobby.

It was a beautiful morning. The sun was out and birds were chirping. The sky was a light blue. I fell into my usual pace, my long brown ponytail swinging from side to side as my feet pounded the concrete rhythmically. World War I era music buzzed through the earphones connected to my ancient iPod Nano. I know it was incredibly out of date, but I found that it was more portable and lightweight than my iPhone. I could strap the iPod Nano to my arm and it wouldn't hinder my running much. It also stored a lot more music.

I ran for about ten minutes before I began to feel a familiar tightness in my chest. I slowed, trying to catch my breath, but this wasn't an episode of fatigue. It was an asthma attack. Before I knew it, I was gasping for air. This normally wasn't such a big deal. A couple puffs from my inhaler and I'd be good to go. My inhaler… My hands patted the pockets of my running jacket. Empty. However, the search wasn't fruitless. I did also discover my cellphone was gone. Panic set in, making the situation even worse. How had I forgotten my cellphone _and_ inhaler?

I tried to slow my breathing and my escalated heart rate. This was New York. There were people everywhere. Certainly someone would help me, right? I glanced around frantically, waving at other joggers while coughing and heaving, but everyone had their earphones in or their heads down staring at their phone screens, caught up in their own little worlds. This was incredibly sad. I was surrounded by hundreds of people with cellphones and no one noticed me. I tried to call out, but I had no breath to project my words. Minutes that felt like hours ticked by. The feeling of helplessness increased dramatically.

I bent over, trying to catch my breath. My hands gripped my knees as my breathing grew increasingly violent. That was when I saw him. A big man with short blond hair and a chiseled face approached, blue eyes alight with curiosity and concern.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern wrinkling his brow.

I shook my head and wheezed, "No." I gulped for air again. "Ah-" I breathed which brought on another round of horrific coughing and wheezing. When it slowed, I was able to mutter, "Asthma."

Recognition showed in his blue eyes, sympathy, as if he had once experienced this, too. "You're having an asthma attack?"

I nodded.

"Do you have an inhaler?"

I shook my head.

"Hang on. I'm calling 911."

He instantly whipped out his smartphone and dialed 911. I was so frightened by my breathing that it was all I could focus on. His voice seemed so distant as the words "in" and "out" played through my head over and over again like a mantra.

With the phone still pressed to his ear, he turned to check on me. "Hang in there. They're on their way," he said encouragingly.

I nodded, indicating I had heard him. I was tired of this physical weakness. It was incredibly frustrating not to be able to go for a run in the spring without my lungs acting up on me periodically. Usually it wasn't such a big problem, but forgetting my inhaler was a problem. A big problem.

"So… Do you usually run here?" the man asked. Distraction. Good.

I nodded.

"Me too." I noticed the grey cotton t-shirt and navy sweatpants he was wearing.

I nodded again which was followed by more coughing.

The man fidgeted, clearly uncomfortable with the fact that there was nothing he could do, but stand and wait for the ambulance to arrive. That need to help drove him to rub awkward, yet soothing circles into my back. It was long minutes before the screaming ambulance arrived to load me up and take me to the hospital. They ENTs had me breathing medicines and oxygen which helped to open up my lungs and restore my breathing to normal. All of the fight and fear bled out of me as I relaxed against the gurney, finally able to breathe again. Through the chaos, I saw the blond haired man chatting with the response team. Minutes after I was loaded, the doors to the ambulance were shut and it lurched into motion, the sirens whirring as I was transported to the nearest hospital where they would continue my treatment.

I glanced around the pristine white hospital room cluttered with medical equipment and monitors. I hadn't been awake more than a few minutes before there was a light rapping on the door. A nurse poked her head through the crack in the door.

"Miss Roland? There is a visitor here for you. Are you feeling up to seeing him?"

I stared at her for a moment, allowing this to process through my addled mind. A visitor? For me? A him? It definitely couldn't be my mother.

I nodded, as I found myself doing a lot lately. "Yes." I readjusted myself so I was sitting up a little more and I tightened my ponytail which probably was a mess, but there wasn't much I could do at this point.

Seconds after I finished primping, the man that had called the ambulance for me earlier squeezed past the nurse bearing flowers. He was gorgeous, especially now that he had changed into jeans and a navy tshirt. Also, now that I was staring at him, not through an oxygen deprived panic, he looked very familiar. Not because he had come to my rescue earlier, but because I had seen him somewhere before that. I didn't want to jump to conclusions, but I was pretty sure I was staring at Steve Rogers, also known as Captain America.

"Hello," he said awkwardly. Despite that, his voice had a deep, confident edge to it. "I just wanted to check on you." He held out the flowers. "I brought you some flowers."

I smiled. "Thank you. They're lovely. Would you mind setting them over there?" I pointed to a small table by the door. After placing the colorful bouquet on the table, he wiped his now empty hands on his jeans, then suddenly seemed to remember something. He reached into his pocket, removing my blue iPod Nano.

"Also, you dropped this," he said as he handed it to me. "Are you always in the habit of listening to music from the World Wars? Sorry, I couldn't help but look."

I giggled. "Yes, I'm a history teacher. I know it's strange, but it's really grown on me. And I think it is better than anything on the radio nowadays."

"I would have to agree."

"Thank you for returning this. And the flowers. And, well, everything. I don't know what I would have done had it not been for you."

"You're welcome."

I extended my hand, "My name is Judy Roland, by the way." This was my chance to confirm my suspicions.

He shook my hand. "Steve Rogers. Nice to meet you."

"Captain America?" I asked, to make for sure.

He smiled. "Yeah."

"Wow. You really are a hero. How can I ever repay you?'

"Dinner?" he asked, sticking his hands in his pockets. I would have expected him to exude a little more confidence in real life, be a tad more… surly and arrogant. But here he was, boyishly shy and… asking me on a date? I felt my cheeks flush.

"Sure. When?"

"Thursday at seven?"

"Sure. That works."

"I'm glad to see that you're feeling better."

"Yes, I'm feeling much better."

"I used to have asthma before all of this." He removed his hands from his pockets to gesture at his superhuman body. "It's not fun."

"No, it isn't. But, 'tis the season. All of the plants are coming out and they really get to me. You know, pollen and stuff." Dang it! What was happening to me? Now it was my turn to be awkward.

He nodded. "Do you need anything else? A ride home…?"

"No, my friend is coming to pick me up. Thanks for the offer though."

"I guess I'll see you Thursday."

"Yes. Thursday."

He moved toward the door, turning the doorknob before pausing. "Oh, and Judy."

"Yeah?"

"Don't forget your inhaler anymore."

I giggled. "I won't," I promised. With that, he left. It wasn't until a few minutes later when I was reflecting on our uncomfortable exchange that I realized I had forgotten to get his number. Or he had forgotten to get mine. How was I supposed to go out to dinner with him if I didn't know where? I mentally kicked himself for being too entranced in his superhuman beauty to think clearly. Oh well, perhaps it just wasn't meant to be. Or perhaps he could get my address the creepy stalkery way from the government, now that he knew my name and all.


	2. Chapter 2

**So I decided to check my chapters and I realized this one got messed up somehow when I uploaded it to FanFiction. So I think this will fix it. Sorry guys!**

I was released from the hospital a few hours later. Tessa, a friend and coworker of mine, came to pick me up. Before leaving, I made sure to grab the flowers Steve had left. I noticed a little calling card held up by a plastic clip. With Tessa looking over my shoulder, I plucked it from the clip and opened it, laughing at it's contents. It appeared asking me out was premeditated for the card included his phone number.

"Who is this Steve?" Tessa asked, blue eyes glowing with the hope of learning some juicy gossip.

"You're never going to believe me."

"I'll try."

"Let's walk and talk. I'm anxious to get out of here."

Tessa fell into step beside me, staring at me until I broke down and told her the news.

"Steve Rogers asked me out. Captain America."

"Captain America?" she gasped.

"Shhh!" I pressed a finger to my lips. "You don't need to alert the entire hospital."

"Sorry. That's so exciting! When are you going?"

"Thursday at seven."

She squealed in excitement. "I can't believe it!"

"Me neither."

"What are you going to wear?"

"I don't know."

"Did he say where he was taking you? Ooh! Do you think he'll pick you up at your house like the boys did in old movies?"

"I don't know."

"I bet he does. I bet he still has some of that forties charm left in him even after all those years of being stuck in a block of ice. I can't believe Captain America asked you out!"

By now we had made our way into the parking garage. She still babbled on and on and on. It was times like this that I realized why exactly she was an English teacher. She unlocked her car by pressing the button on her key fob. The lights flicked on briefly as the locks shifted positions. I threw open the passenger side door and climbed in, ready to go home and potty obnoxious Biscuit, who I suppose I had to thank for inadvertently introducing me to Steve Rogers.

Tessa climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. She was still babbling as we drove off.

"You'll have to call me right after the date and let me know how everything goes. If I wasn't already married, I'd be scheming ways to take your place on that date. Heck, I still might. Captain America!" she exclaimed in awe. "I still can't believe it. I'm happy for you. I really am. It's about time you put yourself back out there and start dating again. When you adopted Biscuit, I was worried for you. I knew you were allergic to cats so I thought this was how it was going to happen. You were going to become a crazy dog lady. But look at you now! Going on a date with Steve Rogers! Captain America! Oh, he's so beautiful. So are you. You're going to have wonderful children. Do you think they'll inherit his super powers? I bet they will. It's in his DNA now, right? I wonder what that means about his life span."

"You know, Tessa, you talk enough for both of us. I think you've been ranting for five minutes and I still haven't heard you take a breath. It's really amazing. Also, don't you think you're getting a little ahead of yourself?"

She playfully whacked me on the arm as she turned a corner. "I'm just excited, that's all. It's not every day that my best friend gets asked out on a date with a superhero."

"Well, don't get your hopes up. It might not even work out. We're from completely different worlds."

"Darling, you and I both know that you have an old soul. You're like an eighty-year-old woman trapped in the body of a hot twenty-six year old."

"Gee, thanks. I should put that on my eHarmony page," I said sarcastically, turning my head to look out the window at the people and bases of tall buildings rolling by.

Tessa gasped. "You have an eHarmony page?"

Oops… "No. I was joking," I said too quickly.

"Sure…" she drew out. "Nice save."

"No, really," I tried to say convincingly.

"Ah, ah , ah. You can't pull anything over on me. I know nearly everything about you. Well, now I do at least."

I rolled my eyes as she pulled into the parking garage attached to my apartment building. "You got it from here?" Tessa asked. "I have to go pick up the kids."

"Yes. Thanks for the lift."

"You're welcome."

"Don't forget to call him."

"I won't. Think he knows how to text?"

"If you can, he can."

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "I know I'm bad with technology, but I'm not _that_ bad."

"Sure," she huffed. "Okay, I really have to go. Judy," she called.

"Yeah?"

"Don't forget your inhaler. But more importantly, don't forget to text me the deets."

"Alright." I turned to head inside as she drove away.

Today had been quite eventful. A simple Saturday morning run had suddenly turned into an unrealistic... fairytale? I trudged into the apartment, opting for a lift in the elevator instead of climbing the stairs. I was too drained for that. Once I got to my room, Biscuit began barking her head off. I swear, if everyone didn't think she was so cute, she'd have had me evicted by now. I opened the door which I hadn't bothered to lock when I had left earlier this morning, when I had only thought I would be gone for thirty minutes. Even that had been stupid, given that I was living in New York. The ball of fur that was Biscuit clawed at my legs excitedly.

"Down biscuit. Down," I demanded. She was too thrilled to have me back to listen. I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Do you need to go potty?"

That got her attention. She backed away from me and barked, probably demanding that I get her leash.

"You know, I really need to thank you for distracting me this morning. I met Captain America because you made me forget my inhaler. I know I don't say this enough, because I find your lack of obedience frustrating, but I really do love you."

She barked again.

"Yeah, I know." I grabbed her leash and hooked it onto her bejeweled collar. "Let's go."


	3. Chapter 3

Two days after my asthma attack, I stared at my phone debating whether I should call him or not. I had already saved his number in my phone, but I had been reluctant to go through with the actual calling. What if he was busy training or saving the world or something?

It had been a long day of teaching and everyone was panicking with finals fast approaching. I sat on my couch with Biscuit resting passed out, resting peacefully on my lap. A thick stack of papers I needed to grade sat next to me, but I was too preoccupied with this whole Captain America thing to concentrate on them right now. My insides were all fluttery and I had already had to take a puff of my inhaler. Captain America wanted to take _me_ on a date?

I held my breath and pressed the call button. He picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Hi! This is Judy."

"Hello, Judy. I was worried you didn't find my number."

"No, I found it. I just almost chickened out. Are we still on for Thursday?"

"Yes. Can I pick you up?"

"Sure. Got a pen?"

"Hold on a second. Yeah."

I then proceeded to give him my address. "I'll be waiting in the lobby."

"So… I'll see you then?" I asked.

"See you then," he repeated.

"Bye."

"Bye."

As soon as he hung up, I called Tessa. She answered immediately.

"My guess is that this is about Steve Rogers?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Yes. I just called him."

"Yes! And what did he say?"

"He's picking me up on Thursday."

"I knew it! I'm so excited for you!"

I sighed. "That makes one of us. I'm feeling kind of nauseous. He's so famous and attractive and I'm so…"

"Please, you're stunning. So do you know where you're going?"

"No, I forgot to ask."

"That's okay. Just let him drive the car."

"What car?" I asked, confused.

"The metaphorical car," she said matter-o-factly. "What I'm trying to say is just let him be in charge. Let him lead and make the plans. It makes them feel more macho and in control."

"I just hope he doesn't choose a sushi restaurant. I'm allergic to shellfish."

"Darling, he's from the forties. Do you really think he's going to want to take you out for sushi?"

"No, I suppose not." She had a point there…

"Now, relax and quit worrying. I know what you can do to distract you. Grade papers! I have an insane amount of essays to get through. You can grade some if you finish with yours," she joked.

"No thank you. I've got enough."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Alright. If you change your mind, you know where to find me. I have to go. Jake has his sister in a headlock again," she said pointedly. "Stop it you two!" she yelled. Her voice wasn't quite muffled by the hand she had placed over the receiver. "Henry has been letting them watch wrestling again. Never have children. I really have to go. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya."

Tessa hung up. She had her hands quite full with the twins, especially since they were in the middle of their Terrible Twos. She loved them to pieces, but in way, her children were like Biscuit. Incredibly adorable, but occasionally maddeningly disobedient. Tessa was a great mother, despite her occasional shortcomings.

Feeling a tad more comfortable and confident, I was able to work on grading papers.

That was how I spent the rest of the night. Grading papers. With Biscuit. Very cool. Very interesting. Very… sad.


	4. Chapter 4

**Do you guys think they should get a happily ever after together?**

 **Chapter Four**

The days flew by in a flurry. Before I knew it, Thursday had rolled around. And with it came a completely new set of obstacles and nerves. I was faced with the choice of picking out an outfit to wear on the date. Did I go casual? Or girly and flirty? Did I leave my hair down and straight? Or throw it up in a bun? Or did I take the time to curl it? There were so many options and I kept running possible scenarios in my head as I attempted to determine which outfit would be best to wear on this date. With Steve Rogers.

After hours of debating, I ended up wearing an olive colored shirt dress with black flats. I twirled my hair up into a bun, securing it with two black hairbands and a few bobby pins, making sure to fluff my bangs so they didn't look so drab. Giving myself one more glance in the mirror before heading down to the lobby, I rolled my eyes. I looked… exactly like a stiff, boring teacher I was, not like a young fun girl going on a date. I glanced at my cat-shaped clock to see if I still had time to , I'm allergic to cats, but that didn't mean I can't still like them. The clock read 6:58. Crap. I had to get downstairs. I grabbed my purse and headed for the door, but found myself doing a 180 degree turn. What Steve had told me in the hospital really stuck. My inhaler. I had left it sitting out on the counter. Good thing I had remembered. I grabbed it and then let myself out, but not before saying goodbye to Biscuit.

Boy, I was a mess. I rushed down the stairs, not bothering to wait for the elevator. I jogged into the lobby just as Steve sauntered through the doors. I was glad he wasn't carrying flowers because I would have gone all the way up to my apartment to put them in water. Or was it appropriate to take them with me on the date? It didn't matter because it hadn't happened, but I had still worried about it. In fact, I hadn't slept much the previous night. Excitement and worry had kept me up.

I waved at him and smiled as I drew nearer. "Hi," I said in greeting.

"Hello," he returned. "You look nice."

"Thank you." I took in his slacks and navy button down shirt. "So do you."

"Thanks."

"How has your day been so far?" I asked. Ooh. Was that the right thing to say at the beginning of a date? It was my default, whatever I said when I was at a loss for words.

"It's better now that I'm with you."

Oooooh. He was smooth. The line sounded slightly rehearsed, but it still worked. I could feel my cheeks heat in a modest blush with embarrassment at his flattery. "So, where are we headed?"

"Have you ever been to The House? I've been told it's good"

"Sounds perfect."

"Okay. My car is outside."

He held the door open for me as we exited the apartment complex. I spotted his car right away.

"I'm guessing this is yours," I said, pointing to some sort of restored vintage car. The paint job was a little rough, but I could tell someone had been working on it. It was a total midlife crisis car, but I knew it probably reminded him of the past.

He chuckled. "How did you guess?"

"I just… had a feeling. It's cute. Vintage," I said as I admired the car.

He smiled, then hesitated a second before opening the passenger door for me. His movements were stiff. Awkward. He was nervous. So was I.

"Oh, thank you," I said as I slid into the seat, making sure my skirt was tucked within the car so it wouldn't get caught in the door. Once I was in, he shut the door and jogged around to the driver's side. The car bounced with his added weight. The smallness of the car really emphasized his superhuman size. I wondered how it felt comfortable to him to squeeze into this car. He was Captain America. He could afford practically anything and he chose a tiny old car with, I'm guessing, sentimental value.

"So, what's your favorite song?" he asked, trying to get the conversation flowing. I admired a man who made an attempt to start a conversation. Too often I had been forced to try to spark conversations. It felt uncomfortable. Especially when the other person didn't make an effort and expected me to do all the work.

"Favorite song?" I questioned, slightly confused. It took a moment before it came back to me. My iPod Nano. "Oh. World War music. Well… That's a hard question. I think the CDs I listen to are a compilation of American and British tunes. I really like the song 'Over There' from the first World War and 'You Call Everybody Darling' from the second."

He smiled. "Those are good songs."

"What are your favorites?"

"I don't know. I haven't really thought about it. Like you said, they were all good."

"That's not fair. I had to choose. Now it's your turn," I said lightly. Playfully.

"Alright. If I have to choose... 'This is the Army, Mister Jones.'"

"You're right. That is a good one."

"You know, I used to be in a barbershop quartet."

"I didn't know that. Are you serious? That's awesome!" I squealed excitedly.

"Really? The rest of the Avengers think it's weird."

"No, it's great. You should pick that back up. That'd be a great hobby to have when you're not saving the world and stuff."

He smiled and dipped his head slightly. "I'll keep that in mind."

"What part did you sing?"

"Tenor."

"Oh yes. I can see that. Was that before the whole superhuman transformation as well?"

"Yes."

"I see." My turn to spark conversation. What should I say? I didn't feel like the topic of music had completely expired. I almost wanted to ask about his childhood, but was that too serious for a first date? I couldn't remember much, but I thought one of his parents may have died. Well, they were both dead now, but… Who was I kidding? That was a horrible topic! Back to music.

"Music has really changed since then, hasn't it? I'm afraid to even turn on the radio now. Practically every song is filled with explicit material."

"I agree. I'm not much for listening to the radio either. I was surprised by the… nature of the songs when I first heard some modern music."

"Songs from your era were much classier. They at least made modest references to inappropriate things. It was quite witty, too. Those were the days."

"Mind if I borrow the CD sometime? Perhaps Stark could help me figure out how to download it onto my iPhone. It is really nice to find someone else who shares my taste in music. I didn't think it would be possible, considering…"

"You've been frozen for a few decades? I didn't think it possible either. Especially in New York."

By the time we arrived at the restaurant, we were deeply immersed in our conversation which lasted all throughout dinner. It was less awkward and scary than I had anticipated. Once Steve loosened up, he was actually a really swell, easy to talk to sorta guy. I found his presence to be quite enjoyable. But I still did a lot of the talking. I could be quite the talker once I got to know a person. Or was nervous. He was such a good sport and such a gentlemen. He seemed to be enjoying himself. I knew I was.

"But you missed out on when cellphones weren't this small. They were giant. Huge. You had to you both hands to hold it. Or so I'm told. I'm a little young to remember those days, but my mom has her fair share of stories. It's really amazing how the world has evolved," I said.

"Yes. Working with Stark has been a little scary. The amount of security is… You can't really go anywhere without being on camera."

"That is quite true. Some people have even installed security cameras in their own homes. You know, you should read _1984_. I assign it as extra credit for my history class. Of course no one really does the readings anymore."

"I would like to read it."

"I think you'll find it pretty interesting. If I recall correctly, it was written in nineteen forty-nine. Only three years after World War II ended. When were you frozen?"

"Nineteen forty-five."

"Hm. So you missed out on the Cold War and all of that."

"I've been doing some research. I missed _a lot_."

"Oh yes. You did. You also missed out on a lot of good classic movies. _Singing in the Rain_. _On the Town_. Gene Kelly was an amazing actor. Doris Day was great, too. When you have some free time, you should check some of these things out."

"I will. I need to make up for lost time. Put a few more puzzle pieces together. Fill in a few more blanks. Waking up in a completely new world sixty years later is quite the adjustment," he said before taking a sip of his water.

"I can't even imagine."

Steve snatched up the bill when it came, making sure he was able to pay for dinner. I had no qualms with that, given I was living on a teacher's salary. In New York. Besides, I always let the boy cover the first date. After this, I would offer to pick up the tab or at least split it. The first date was just… special. Call me old fashioned, but to me the boy picking up the bill on the first date was a type of formality. A ritual of sorts. It meant he was invested in the relationship or taking it seriously. It meant he was dependable and able to provide for a family or something like that. It was just a quality I looked for in men.

"Would you like to take a stroll? I have it on good authority that New York looks better at night than it does during the day," Steve suggested, shyly. His eyes flicked away from mine a few times, suggesting he still hadn't quite gotten over his nerves. That was okay. Neither had I.

"That sounds lovely."

We left the restaurant and decided to wander along the sidewalk, no predetermined destination, just a little nighttime stroll. Normally, I might not have taken someone up on this offer due to the shady stuff that happened around the city at night, but I was with Captain America. I felt pretty safe. I was, however, quite surprised that he hadn't been recognized. In normal civilian clothes, he looked pretty typical. Average. Only huge fans would have recognized him. He blended in quite nicely.

The stroll was very comfortable. Talking eventually died down as we reveled in the noise of the city that never sleeps. It was oddly peaceful. The numerous lights lining the buildings and streets stood out in contrast to the dark night. Only a few stars were visible in the black sky. We walked by fancy shops with glowing window displays. I found myself trying to picture how all this would have looked back in Steve's day. I still marveled at the changes that had occurred in the world. It was amazing. And scary.

Eventually we made our way back to his car which we had left parked at the restaurant. He opened the door for me again and soon we were back on the road, headed to my apartment.

"I had a lot of fun tonight," I said, quietly, sad that it was all coming to an end.

"Me, too. If it's alright with you, I'd like to see you again."

I smiled. "I would like that very much."

He pulled up to my apartment. I stared through the windshield at the glass doors, glowing yellow with light from the lobby. It was then that I realized how lonely my life could be. Sure, I had friends, but none of them really understood me the way Steve seemed to. I could be myself with him. It was… comfortable.

"May I walk you to the door?" Steve asked.

I giggled. "Of course."

He got out and opened my door, walking with me until we reached the apartment doors.

"Goodnight," I said.

"Goodnight," he returned.

The awkwardness came back, each of us being slightly confused about how to dismiss each other. There was also a mutual sort of longing for each other's presence that hung thick in the air between us. Steve lingered only a few seconds before turning around and heading to his car. I pushed through the apartment doors. It was nearly midnight. Time to potty Biscuit and go to bed. I had school tomorrow.


	5. Chapter 5

**This isn't the most interesting chapter, but it's a chapter nonetheless. Woo!**

 **Chapter Five**

I showed up to work the next day exhausted, but quite satisfied with the way everything had worked out the previous night. I hadn't gotten to sleep until two because I couldn't stop smiling like a lovelorn teenager, but it was totally worth it. My heart fluttered every time I thought of my date with Steve and I counted the minutes until our next date. Which I was letting him initiate because he was an Avenger. My schedule was flexible. Too flexible. But his wasn't. Plus, one never knew when one would need to save the world.

A light rapping sounded on my door as I was shuffling papers in an attempt to clear away some of the clutter from my room. Before I knew it, Tessa had let herself in and was approaching my desk. "So… How did it go?" she asked in a high-pitched sing-song voice.

"I think it went pretty well. Or at least I hope it did. I mean he asked if he could take me out again. So I guess that means I did _something_ right." I sighed, trying to release some of the jitters or butterflies buzzing inside me. I was nervous I would mess things up, but excited I had a chance. "I really like him."

"Ooh! Girl, I knew it would work out. Did he pick you up at your apartment like I said he would? Or did he make you meet him at a restaurant where he showed up an hour late and forced you to pay the bill like Mike did. Ugh. Mike. What did you ever see in him?"

"Okay. One, thanks for bringing that up. That was… unnecessary." I rolled my eyes as I said this. She knew I wasn't completely serious. I was being sarcastic. Deep, deep down, I was kind of glad she brought it up because now I could say this: "Two, _you_ set me up with Mike. And _three_ ," I smiled, "he did pick me up."

Tessa squealed. "I knew it!" Then she hugged me, making me feel quite uncomfortable. "You two are going to get married and have, like, twelve children." Tessa released me. "Can I be the maid of honor at your wedding?"

I stared at her wide-eyed for a moment before straightening my clothes, playfully glaring at her in a way only a friend could.

"By the way, sorry about Mike. I should have known he wasn't such a great choice when I learned his only source of income was playing guitar on the subway."

"You think?"

"Not one of my best choices…"

"I'll say."

"Okay. I get it. I get it." She waved her hand in the air as if to brush that all away. "Fill me in on what happened last night. I need to know everything. All the little details. In the order they happened."

"You know we have ten minutes before school starts right?"

"Okay. Give me the modified version now and the complete, unabridged version later."

"Okay." I proceeded to tell her the general events of the night, praying I could get out of recounting every tiny detail to her later. This was Tessa. She got distracted very easily. She was constantly flitting from one thing to the next. Except when it came to teaching English. She could be pretty strict and completely focused. Somehow.

The bell rang, forcing an end to my recounting of the night's events. Students began filing into my classroom.

"Tessa, we'll have to finish later. The bell has rung."

"Okay. We'll talk at lunch."

"Ugh."

"Alright, darling. See you later."

"See you!" I called after her as she pushed through my door, trying to avoid smacking into any poor children. The school was quite crowded. Just like the city.

Tessa didn't get a word from me about the date at lunch. I didn't want anyone else to know that Steve and I had been on a date. She seemed to understand that which was why she invited me to grab coffee with her after school. As we fought our way through the crowd, headed to the local Starbucks, I filled her in on every little detail, trying not to mention names too often in case some nosy person overheard us and put two and two together. Tessa ate it all up. My guess was that this information was way better than the plotline of whatever soap opera she was watching now. Heck, even Twilight was probably better than the soaps playing on TV.

Once we got to the Starbucks, Tessa ordered something I couldn't even begin to pronounce the name of. Something low fat, half caff, and some other stuff I didn't catch. I ordered tea. How coffee had gotten so fancy and frilly, I couldn't say. The transformation was quite stunning. There were so many varieties.

Once we had our coffees with our names scrawled on them, we sat down at one of the tables in the packed coffeehouse and spoke over the whirr of machines and the clanking of dishes as workers quickly scrambled to create coffees for impatient customers. According to Tessa, today was her husband's designated "bonding day" with the kids. He was supposed to take a little time off work to pick them up with school and do something fun with them. That was nice that they did that. When I was little, I hadn't spend much time with my dad because he was always working. And when he wasn't working, he was complaining about work. It was nice to just sit and talk to my friend. Once the topic of my date died down, we moved on to other things.

As we were leaving Starbucks, my phone buzzed. I removed it from my purse to check who was calling.

"It's Steve," I squealed.

Tessa smiled. "What are you waiting for? Answer it!"

"Oh yeah. That is what I should do." I swiped my finger across the screen and held the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Judy? Hi."

"Hi, Steve. How are you?" _Akward_ , I chastised myself.

"Good. How are you?"

"I'm well," I said without really thinking about it. Motion in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Tessa was doing her "Yay! Proper grammar!" cheer, waving her hands and excitedly mouthing words. I rolled my eyes at her, shaking my head. Tessa…

"That's good. I was wondering if you would like to go out again?"

"I would love that. When do you have in mind?" Was that sentence proper English? My brain was becoming scrambled. At least is sort of made sense. Right?

"Dinner? Tomorrow night?"

"Sounds lovely. What time?"

"Six?"

"That works."

"Alright. I'll pick you up again at your apartment."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow at six," I said, grinning. I always felt like I did better socially face to face, not over the phone. Conversations over the phone were meant to be quick and to the point, at least in my opinion.

"Okay. See you then," he said, then hung up.

I looked up at Tessa who was bouncing up and down. "What did he say? What did he say?" she asked energetically.

"We're going on another date tomorrow at six." The butterflies returned full-force, somersaulting in my stomach.


End file.
